Dance In The Dark Again
by your.lip.balm
Summary: A short one shot of Hawkeye's revelations.


**A/N: A short continuation of Dance In The Dark Twice. Enjoy.**

I stared off across the vast blue ocean, blinking in the twinkle of the sun. The soft rays of light shimmered upon the surface of the calm waters as if dancing across a diamond encrusted floor. The waves stretched for unknown miles until it reached the azure of the horizon in the distance. The beauty of the scene warmed my heart, filling it with emotions of rapture that propelled me forward, closer to the edges of the surf. The ambient sounds of water lapping against sand echoed melodiously in my ears, creating a symphony that created within my heart, a slow yearning.

The voices of that song beckoned to me, rousing notes of serenity that burned in the innermost chambers of my beating heart. The harmonious tune called forth emotions that brought moisture to my eyes. A dark, sadness took hold of me and I stifled a sob. I must not let the tears fall, I must keep it hidden, I must prevent it from the unseeing eyes that continue to watch me.

Amidst the sapphire waters, I spotted a figure coalescing like a ghost in the mist. Not too far away, the silhouette formed into a woman. As she turned to face me, I gasped at her beauty and grace. The very image of perfection; long locks of dark hair blew freely in the slight breeze, skin as glossy and healthy as a newborn baby, a face as pretty as a rose, and a body as striking as no other.

Appalled and fascinated, I took a step further, wanting to have a better look at this creature of magnificence. As I came closer to her, she moved back without physically doing so. I did not see her legs step backward, but the distance between us was the same as if I hadn't walked forward at all. Stopping, I stared at her, confused. She merely curled her luscious lips and smiled.

With one slender arm, she raised her hand out to me. Beckoning with her long fingers, she waited for me to respond. Shifting my gaze from her reach, I looked down to her feet and saw that she was standing on top of the surface of the ocean as if the waves were solid. I could see her shoes dipping into the liquid, and yet she wasn't falling in. She waved to me once more and continued to beam that amazing grin.

The strangeness of the situation should have made me question if this was reality, but I didn't really care at the moment. All I wanted was to get to her. Maybe she will have the answers that I seek for. Slowly, I raised my own hand out and extended my fingers toward her.

When I did so, I noticed something horrific. The skin on my hand and arm was flaky and cracked. As I flexed my fingers, huge chunks of gray skin peeled off to reveal black, shriveled flesh. The scream that emitted from my throat was shrill and sounded terrified. I peered toward her and found that she still smiled serenely back at me. How could she be so happy when I clearly was in dire straits?

"Help me!" I yelled, fearfully and touched my blackened fingers to my other arm, only to find it in the same state. Rough, dead skin tore off and floated weightlessly in the air. Terror squeezed my chest, causing me to tremble as if a cold chill had blown through. It traced its icy veil around my deteriorating shoulders, encasing me in a stone cold chokehold.

"What's happening? What's wrong with me?" I screeched in a frenzy. A familiar voice finally answered next to me, a voice that sounded pleasantly appealing.

"You have been marked and claimed by the darkness."

I looked left and right, searching for the voice but there was no one there except for her, but she stood too far away to sound so close. In despair, I raised my gaze to the woman once more.

"You have been here, in this place, lost to yourself...and to others," the voice replied as I watched her lips move. She was the one talking, but why did it sound as if she was standing right next to me? The thought was puzzling.

"What?" I asked, even more confused. She merely stood there and continued staring at me with smoldering eyes that flickered gorgeously. "Who are you?" I wanted to know.

"You know who I am. Look inside your heart," she revealed, simply. I had no clue what she meant or to even go about doing that. Instead I watched her, drinking her in like a fine wine. Noticing every small impeccable quality of flawless elegance, every fluid movement, and every detail in her resplendent gaze. Subtle brushstrokes of broken thoughts flittered suddenly at the back of my memory, frolicking coyly as if teasing my mind. Tattered images of a face floated and hovered, pulling me slowly into unrestrained freedom.

"_Come back to me...come_ back," she uttered, her voice this time sounding far away as if from a great distance. Suddenly, I recognized her face as the same in my recollections and I remembered the sweet tone of her voice.

_My love._

Without hesitation, I reached for her, hungry for the touch of her skin, starved for the affection that mirrored my own. To my utter and devastating horror, I could not reach her. Instead I felt an intense pain in my head, so profound that I moaned from the agony. Closing my eyes in shock, the torturous discomfort became all encompassing, engulfing me whole.

Like waves, the torment ebbed away receding as quick as it had appeared. Opening my eyes, I shook my head and tried to focus. The ocean of blue was gone and I was in a narrow darkened hallway. Instead of standing on the sand, I was bent down on one knee as if I had fallen.

_How did I get here?_

Sensing someone near, I turned to gaze up and found her glaring at me warily. It was my beloved and her familiarity soothed me. It seemed like I had just woken from a dream. Relief rushed through my sore body. I stretched my fingers toward her, wanting the intimacy.

"What the hell happened?"

"Hawk? Is it you?"


End file.
